Publicity
by 4luv4evr428
Summary: The publicity for Ricky's movie causes distress for Lucy.


I.

Lucy tried to concentrate on the magazine she was reading, or at least she wanted to look like she was concentrating on it. She sat lounging in a patio chair, a wide brim hat shielding her from the hot Los Angeles sun, as Ricky posed for publicity pictures near the pool. She hadn't minded it until he was joined by his co-star in the movie he was filming. The film's leading lady, Eleanor Connors, was a tall blonde beauty who was known for her romantic roles. Lucy had kept one eye on her ever since they were introduced to each other, and she had noticed Eleanor's disappointed surprise at finding out Ricky was married.

Although Lucy had known from the beginning that the studio wanted to portray Ricky as a Latin heartthrob, she wasn't crazy about the lengths they wanted to go to in order to prove the point. From the moment they arrived in LA, the publicists wanted to place him with starlets and write publicity pieces about his love affairs with them. He had steered them in different directions as much as he could, and he stood firm in preventing them from printing stories that implied he was unfaithful to his wife, but to an extent, he was bound by his contract and couldn't control everything. The movie was, after all, about a great Latin lover and womanizer.

Behind closed doors, this had made things difficult between he and Lucy. She had tried to be understanding, but with each picture of him with a beautiful actress, with each vague story about him having lunch with Eleanor Connors, she felt disgusted. It was the subject of several arguments they'd had since they arrived. Ricky was emphatic that the reports were not reflecting reality, that he had no romantic involvement with anyone but her, and that she had to learn to accept these things. She was his wife and this was his career. But Lucy argued that people would believe what they were seeing and reading, and that for her sake and their baby's sake, the stories had to end. She always stopped short of saying that she, herself, believed what was printed in the papers, but Ricky knew she didn't have to say it for it to be.

The pictures this day had been relatively innocent-looking so far. Shots of Ricky and Eleanor, dressed in swimsuits, sitting near the pool, posing next to each other and in some cases, separately. When Eric, the studio's photographer, asked Eleanor to sit in Ricky's lap, Lucy lowered the magazine slowly. Ricky glanced in her direction. "Eric, I dun't think-"

"Ricky, sit back, like this." Eric ignored Ricky's attempted objection and guided him into position. "Eleanor, sit right on his lap and cross your legs over the side of the chair…there, exactly!"

Eric stood back, framing the shot through his lens. "Ricky, put your arm around her waist!"

Ricky reluctantly followed Eric's instruction and put on his best show business smile for the camera. After a few more shots, Eric packed up his camera. "That's great, kids, these should be ready for tomorrow's Variety."

Eleanor tied a wrap around her waist. "Thank goodness that's over! I hate posing for photographs, don't you, Ricky?"

Ricky looked distracted as he put on a robe and noticed that Lucy had gotten up and gone inside the hotel. "Yeah…"

Eleanor picked up a hat and sunglasses. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow on the set…"

"Yeah. Yes! Bye, Eleanor." Ricky had started walking into the lobby. He didn't see Lucy anywhere, but he had a feeling she had gone back to their suite. He took the elevator upstairs and ran into Fred and Ethel in the hallway, on their way down. Ethel smiled. "Oh, Ricky, we're going down for lunch. Want to join us?"

Ricky shook his head. "No, thanks, Ethel. Have you seen Lucy?"

Fred nodded. "Yeah, she's in your room. She came up a few minutes ago."

"Thanks, Fred. We'll see you later." Ricky walked down the hall as Fred and Ethel got on the elevator, watching him as the doors closed.

II.

Lucy changed Little Ricky's outfit, stained from the lunch Fred and Ethel had given him while she was at the pool. The toddler smiled at her as she spoke to him and tickled his little tummy. After dressing him, she was rocking him gently when Ricky came in.

She didn't say anything to him as he approached them. He smiled at the little boy and stroked his head. "Hi, ol' man…" Little Ricky looked at him and, as he started to drift to sleep against Lucy's shoulder, stretched out a tired hand to touch his father.

Lucy continued her silence as she stood with her back to Ricky. He touched her arm and kissed her cheek. "Hi, honey…"

"Is the baby asleep?" Lucy's tone was very indifferent.

Ricky looked at the child's face and saw his eyes were closed, his breathing measured. "Yes."

She disappeared with Little Ricky into the little nursery and rested him gently into the crib, kissing him sweetly and pulling a light blanket around his peaceful figure.

When she emerged again, Ricky sat on the couch, looking at her with a troubled smile. She looked beautiful, a pale pink bathing suit hugging her figure, a matching silk wrap flowing from her hips.

Lucy pretended not to notice him, picking Little Ricky's toys off the coffee table. She fought her ever-present attraction to him as he sat in his swim trunks and open robe. As she turned away from him, putting the toys away, she spoke to him coldly. "Is your photo shoot over?"

Ricky watched her moving about the room. "Yes."

She turned to face him as he sat there watching her. "Don't you have a lunch date today?"

Ricky narrowed his eyes. "Well, Ethel invited me to lunch with her and Fred. Does that count?"

Lucy closed the cabinet of Little Ricky's toys firmly, looking away from him again. "You should be in comedy."

Ricky rolled his eyes and picked up the afternoon newspaper that had been delivered and was sitting on the end table. "That's your department."

She stopped in her tracks, having started walking into the bedroom to change. She turned around and walked slowly back to where Ricky sat. "And just what is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothin'."

Lucy turned around and started to walk away again. Ricky looked up from the newspaper. He didn't want to fight. "Lucy, I din't have anythin' to do with the way the pictures were taken…"

She turned back to him again. "You never do, Ricky. But it would be nice, just once, not to have to see my husband with his arms around another woman."

Ricky stood up. "And it would be nice, just once, for my wife to understand that this is part of my career! I'm not doin' anythin' wrong! I dun't even WANT to put my arms around her or anybody!" He threw the paper down on the coffee table, where it fell open.

Lucy's face was hot. "Oh, yes, it looks like such torture for you! You should've seen the PAIN on your face when that woman sat in your lap! That was cozy!" Her eyes caught the open paper and she stopped. She picked it up, her eyes scanning what she saw.

Ricky sighed. "What are you readin'?"

She didn't answer him, continuing to read, her eyes becoming cold and angry. Lucy looked at him, torn between rage and hurt, and shoved the paper into his hands. "This headline is part of your career, too, I suppose..."

"What headline?" Ricky looked at the page she'd been reading.

**Handsome Latin Ricky Ricardo Turning the Script into Real Life, Makes Romantic Plans with Co-Star Eleanor Connors!**

He slapped his forehead. "Oh, no…"

Lucy stormed into the bedroom and Ricky dropped the paper, walking quickly after her. "Lucy, it's not true!" He watched her pulling clothes out of the closet. "What are you doin'?"

"Ricky, I'm taking the baby and I'm going back to New York." She fought tears valiantly, but her voice cracked. "I don't know what will happen when I get there…"

"Lucy, now you're bein' ridiculous. There is nothin' between Eleanor and me. Or me an' anybody!"

Lucy looked at him indignantly. "I'M being ridiculous? You're running around with some bleach blonde and I'm the one who's ridiculous? If the shoe were on the other foot, what would you say then? I'd like to see how YOUR eyes would bug out of your head if I was in another man's lap!"

Ricky knew she had a point and it made him furious at the situation. "That's different! I'm under contract, I have to do what they tell me! It's my first picture, they have to put my name in front of the public!"

Lucy threw a blouse onto the bed. "And in the meantime, I'm supposed to watch you with your hands all over Eleanor Connors!"

Ricky rolled his eyes again. "My hands are not all over her, Lucy! I had one arm around her. Because that's what the man tol' me to do! It's a publicity photo for Variety, not Playboy!"

They stopped yelling when they heard Little Ricky begin to cry. His little voice, shaken out of his sleep, sent pangs of pain through both their hearts. Lucy rushed past Ricky and into the baby's room. She drew him into her arms, rocking him and telling him how sorry she was that Mommy and Daddy had woken him up.

Back in the bedroom, Ricky sat on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. After a few minutes, Lucy wandered back in. She sat on the other end of the bed and wiped hot tears from her eyes.

Ricky looked over at her and caught himself again thinking about how beautiful she was. He spoke quietly and calmly. "Is he asleep?"

Lucy nodded slowly and glanced in Ricky's direction.

Ricky turned to her. "Lucy, what's happenin' to us?" She looked at him silently, tears in her eyes. He inched closer to her slowly. "I dun't want to fight anymore, Lucy. An' I dun't want you to go back to New York."

She looked at her hands. "I don't want to fight anymore, either."

He reached over and took one of her hands in his. "Some of this publicity is normal and it has to be…but you're right, some of it is not right and I'm not willin' to lose my marriage over it."

Lucy sniffed.

"When I get to the studio tomorrow, I'm gonna talk to them about the stories and some of the pictures. No more girls in my lap or headlines like that…"

"You mean you don't want a divorce?" Lucy looked into Ricky's eyes desperately.

Ricky looked at her in confusion and surprise. "What?"

Lucy stood up and walked to the dresser. She opened a drawer and pulled a copy of Hollywood Insider out from under her clothes and brought it to Ricky. "I saw this last week…"

Ricky took the magazine from her hands and flipped to an earmarked page.

**Metro Star Ricky Ricardo to Head to Las Vegas for Divorce, Sights Set on Starlet on New Picture.**

He looked up at Lucy, shocked, before walking quickly out to the front room with the paper. Lucy followed him out. "What are you doing?"

Ricky picked up the phone angrily. "Why din't you tell me about this before?"

Lucy sat slowly in a chair, holding her stomach. "I was afraid it was true…"

He dialed a number and waited as it rang, drumming his fingers against the desk. "Ross Elliot, please." He waited again for the studio's head publicist to answer the line.

"This is Ross Elliot," came the voice on the other end of the phone.

"Ross, this is Ricky."

"Ricky! Hey, I heard we got some great pictures today!"

"What is this story in Hollywood Insider about me gettin' a divorce?"

Ross was silent for a few seconds. "Well…Ricky, it's just publicity. They wanted something juicy and our guys came up with that."

"Ross, I can't have stories like that out there. I'm NOT lookin' for a divorce. Now, I know we need publicity, but I have a wife and a baby to think about! And that story today in the paper…there's nothin' between Eleanor an' me!"

"Aw, Ricky, I know that, but-"

"Are you gonna make sure there are no more headlines like this or not?"

Ross sighed. "Yeah, Ricky. You have my word, we'll get a different angle."

Ricky hung up the phone and leaned against the desk. Lucy sat silently, watching him. He turned his head to look at her and spoke slowly. "Lucy, I am not lookin' for a divorce. An' if you showed me this before, we probably wouldn't be fightin' so much. Because I understand now why you been so angry." He walked into the bedroom.

Lucy didn't know what to do next and she didn't move from the chair.

"Lucy, c'mere."

She stood up and walked into the bedroom, nervously twisting the tie of her wrap through her fingers. She stayed in the doorway, looking at Ricky, who sat on the edge of the bed with his robe tossed onto a nearby chair.

Ricky looked at her. "Come in here and close the door."

Lucy did as he directed her and walked toward him slowly. "Are you angry with me?" Lucy's lip quivered very slightly.

He reached out, grabbed her hand and pulled her into his lap. "No."

She put her arms around his neck as his arms snaked around her. She closed her eyes as he kissed her, his tongue caressing hers. Lucy melted into him, the feeling of his skin next to hers filled her with desire. They had been so busy fighting and struggling, that they had forgotten how in love they truly were.

Ricky rose from the bed, lifting Lucy into his arms. He set her down and lay next to her as he untied the silk from around her waist. He kissed her again, passionately, as his hands gently slipped the bathing suit from her slender figure. She sighed as his kisses slowly descended to her breasts, his tongue circling her stiffened nipples.

Lucy closed her eyes and exhaled her breath as the tip of his tongue traced down her stomach, leaving goose bumps in its path. She drew in another breath sharply as he moved gently between her smooth thighs, his tongue entering her in deliberate circles. She arched her back, dizzy with pleasure as the long strokes of his tongue quickened with the pounding of her heart. Her fingers twisted through his wavy raven hair.

Ricky withdrew from her and crawled back up to her, kissing her neck and breathing into her ear as his hips pressed into her. "No hay que apartarse de vosotros mis ojos, mi querida…"

Her hands reached down and pushed the swim trunks away from him, his erection pushing against her thigh urgently. Her fingertips ran up and down his skin as she kissed his shoulder and neck. "Ricky, I love you…I love you so much…"

Ricky looked deeply into her eyes, their noses touching, a black curl falling across his forehead. "I love you, sweetheart…" His hands slipped down to her hips and lifted her to him, his hard shaft entering her fully. He thrust into her with the rhythm of a rumba, his lips releasing his hot breaths against her breasts as she arched her back again, her hips straining to accept him completely, her legs around him.

Lucy's body trembled as she reached her peak and Ricky came into her with passionate force, their lips locked together to quiet the cries of ecstasy that threatened to echo loudly from within them.

They fell gently together onto the bed, her breasts pressed against his chest as they tried to steady their breaths, each of them slightly damp from the sweat produced by their passion. They clung to each other and Ricky kissed Lucy's ear, teasing it playfully with his teeth. He whispered to her gently. "Lucy, no one, from one coast to the other, can do these thins. I love you, I will never be unfaithful to you."

Lucy ran a hand through his hair. "Don't tell me, Ricky. Just love me again…please…"

Ricky smiled broadly, laying to her side and turning her back to him. He pulled her body into him, his arousal rising again as his hands squeezed her breasts slowly. He kissed the back of her shoulder as one hand slid down her stomach and pulled her hips back to meet him, his erection pushing into her again from behind. She whimpered softly as he continued his deep penetrations, his hands moving up and down the front of her body, her skin tingling under his touch.

As he came again, forcefully, he clenched his teeth and gripped her hips. She gasped and bit her lip as she released, the soft remnants of a stifled cry rising up from her throat.

Ricky clung to her as they again calmed their breathing and lay in the pleasure they had given each other. They didn't speak another word as he continued to kiss her neck and hold her hands. They would never argue over the Hollywood hype again.


End file.
